‘Distinctly odd’: The baffling ‘fear’ driving cricket’s most ‘mysterious surrender’ — World View

The unveiling of another dull wicket and a growing preference for bizarre, negative tactics has ramped up the pressure on Pakistan during its historic Test series against Australia.

The first Test in Rawalpindi was one of the most dour affairs in recent memory, played on a lifeless pitch prepared to nullify Australia’s bowlers.

It was expected that the wicket for the second Test in Karachi would produce a more lively affair, but day one was once again marred by long, drab periods.

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For about 40 uninterrupted minutes in the third session, Pakistan bowled spin outside leg-stump to Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith in a bid to dry up the runs.

It worked, but the sheer disinterest in taking a wicket, even with some reverse swing on offer for its fast bowlers, painted a concerning picture for the Pakistani mindset.

Former captain Waqar Younis was appalled in commentary, saying: “The tactics I’m seeing at the moment is like we’re looking for a draw on the first day.

“It’s ridiculous.”

Former England Test batter and commentator Rob Key described it as an “incredibly negative passage of play”, while sports anchor Sawera Pasha said they were “mysterious tactics from Pakistan.

Geo News journalist Arfa Feroz Zake said Pakistan had erred by turning its cheek on its long record of producing quality fast bowlers.

“Pakistan has a history of producing matchwinning fastbowlers but Pakistan plans to win Test matches at home courtesy dead low slow turning pitches,” he tweeted.

“Isn’t it underestimating the talent of your own pacers? Test matches based on batters defending against spinners are boring.”

It raises the question over how Pakistan aims to achieve a result in this three-Test series — its first at home against Australia since 1998.

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Comments from Pakistan Cricket Board chair Ramiz Raja after the first Test suggested that Pakistan would create low and slow pitches that would nullify Australia’s strengths.

“We need to beat Australia and we need to prepare our strategy accordingly,” Ramiz said.

“The strategy is for low-bouncy tracks where reverse can happen, where LBW and bowled will be in play, where our spinners can show their performance and where the batters, who have grown up on low-bounce pitches, can utilise that advantage.”

This was somewhat understandable for the first Test with fast bowlers Hasan Ali and Faheem Ashraf unavailable.

But even on their return to partner star quick Shaheen Shah Afridi, Pakistan has shown a lack of faith in its own strengths while putting Australia’s on a pedestal.

That is an argument being put forward by ESPNcricinfo’s Pakistan-based writer Danyal Rasool, who lamented Pakistan’s tactics on day one.

In a column for the publication, he said that Pakistan cricket has long admired Australia to the point of a “distinctly odd level of worship”.

As such, he believes that after losing a crucial toss, Pakistan has simply surrendered to Australia.

“When, two sessions into a Test match that was still nip and tuck, Pakistan walked out onto the field alongside Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith, it felt inescapably like Pakistan didn’t just revere Australia, they also feared them,” he wrote.

At the time, Pakistan’s quicks had bowled 10 of the past 13 overs which were hit for just 16 runs.

The pressure was building but instead of looking to capitalise through Shaheen Afridi, Hasan or Faheem, Pakistan went into its shell.

“Rather, as it turned out, Australia didn’t have to fight for those spoils so much as they watched them handed over meekly on a golden platter,” Rasool wrote.

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“Instead, a small pocket of fans watched bemused as Babar let Sajid Khan, the most expensive bowler on the day, bowl alongside Nauman Ali, who had been about as incisive as a newborn’s teeth.”

He argued that being timid, and self-preservation “came naturally” for Pakistan against Australia.

The brakes were put on Australia whose run rate at the end of the day was 2.78, down from 4.55 after 20 overs.

Nonetheless, it reached stumps at 3-251 and almost certain to post a big score that will take the game away from Pakistan.

Asked to explain the tactics after play, wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan defended captain Babar Azam and denied that they were negative.

“We wanted to dry the runs after Australia made good use of the advantage they gained by winning the toss,” he said.

“Such tactics cannot be considered as negative as other big teams also do these things and thankfully our bowlers did make a comeback”

Australia has made more than 350 runs when batting first against Pakistan 17 times, winning 12 of those matches, and never losing.